The present invention relates generally to data storage and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for storing data within a communication system.
Within a typical cellular communication system, each subscriber who has subscribed to voice-mail services is assigned a xe2x80x9cmailboxxe2x80x9d on a disk of a voice mail system (VMS). Messages are stored on the disk from callers when the called subscriber does not answer. These messages are typically stored in an analog format, and require large amounts of storage space for proper storage.
Because cellular communication systems typically have thousands of customers, very large amounts of storage space are required to store voice-mail messages for the subscribers within the communication system. Even with large amounts of storage space, customers are usually allowed to store only a limited amount of messages so that the amount of messages stored does not exceed the amount of storage space within the VMS. Because of this, a need exists for a method and apparatus for storing data within a communication system that does not require large amounts of storage space at a VMS, and increases the amount of memory available to an individual subscriber.